Better Than Me
by Escape-To-The-Stars
Summary: She left him and the city two years ago, to return to the small town where she'd been raised. He isn't over her, and when she comes back, is it possible he'll be able to win her heart back again?  SHIZUOXOC
1. Intro

A/N&DISCLAIMER: Anything you recognize more than likely does not belong to me, sadly.

If DRRR! belonged to me, Shizuo would not know what a shirt was. Seriously. He wouldn't. 3

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><p>And yeah, this is just something of a preview. I'm not sure if it'll be continued or anything, but I'm hoping. I'll probably need to re-watch Durarara! eventually... Thanks for reading, and reviews seriously make my week. No joke. So please, FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESUS, review. Kthanks. I LOVE YOU.<p>

Also, in case you didn't know, this song is based on 'Better Than Me' by Seether. It made me weep when I first heard it. Trufax.

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><p>Despite the fact that she had the maturity and sense of humor of a twelve year old boy, she was still innocent; she was still so young, so <em>pure<em>.

He missed that innocence and that willingness to _believe_.

He yearned for the way she used to feel when he held her, and the way she would curl up against his side whenever they slept.

He longed for those moments where words weren't even needed, moments that had long since disappeared.

He craved for the gentle touches and the shy lectures she'd give him whenever he got into a fight with someone.

He missed her and his life didn't feel truly complete without her; it was like someone had taken one of his limbs; he could function well enough, but it didn't feel right.

He sighed, running a hand through his messy blonde hair; she had loved his hair, claiming that it reminded her of spun gold, for some reason or other.

It was hard; living without her.

He'd hear her laugh sometimes, or her voice, whenever he was in the city, and he'd look around frantically through the crowds, pushing people aside, all in his attempt to find her.

She was never there though, and every time he'd realize he was imagining things, he'd feel his heart break a little bit more.

The worse part however, was when he thought he'd spotted her; he'd catch a glimpse of her auburn hair, or her lithe figure, and he'd barrel through the throngs of people that were perpetually clogging the streets of Ikebukuro, trying to find her. It always turned out to be some other girl though; some foreigner, for whom else could have hair like hers?

He was pathetic; he truly was.

He was stuck trying to find a girl who had long since gone away; who had returned to the other side of the planet, to the small town where she'd been born and raised.

This endeavor was truly hopeless.

But he couldn't stop searching for her; he couldn't, for if there was even the slightest possibility she'd return, then he would find her.

He'd take her back, and he'd make sure to never let her go.

But until that time came, it was all he could do to just get through the day without murdering someone.


	2. Terms of Service

I'm a high schooler with no job. Do you _really_ think I own DRRR ?

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><p>"So, you're back." His maroon eyes glinted in a way that made her shudder.<p>

"Looks like it." She kept her voice steady and devoid of any emotion that he could use against her. She knew how this man worked, and she knew that it was suicide to give him any information.

"Does Shizu-chan know?" The tone in his voice made it obvious that it wasn't a question she needed to answer.

"What's it to you, broker?"

"You never call me that." The manic laugh she abhorred bubbled out from his throat. She cursed herself mentally, kicking herself for slipping up, and she knew that things could only go downhill from here. His voice, calm after his fit, shook her out of her self-deprecating thoughts. "Maybe I should tell him; I'm sure it he'd be upset you didn't let him know you've come back to us." Her eyes widened, and she silently hoped he wouldn't notice.

"Or… Maybe I won't…" A smirk danced across his lips as he pushed away from the desk with just enough force to send him, and the spinning chair he loved, a few feet away.

His fingers slowly threaded themselves together, and he peered at her from behind lying eyes. "What is it worth?" He rose from his chair with a dancer's grace. "What would you give me not to tell him?"

Shit. She should've known better than to come and visit him, even if he _was_ the only one with the information she needed.

"Why should you bother to go out of your way to talk to him?" She needed to get out, now, before he found out why she was truly here.

"Oo. Good point there, tanuki!" Her teeth ground together at the nickname, but she kept up the smile she'd plastered on when she'd first walked into his office.

"Well, first of all, tanuki, it might just make him interesting." His voice turned into sugar-coated steel. "And it might just make him break."

She felt as if her heart was about to beat it's way out of her chest, but she knew better than to show any signs of that, so instead, she just smiled, and sipped thoughtfully at the tea he'd given her

"Maybe. But what if you're wrong? What if he just breaks **you** instead?" _Take the bluff, Izaya, take the bluff. _

He was too smart to fall for that pitiful lie, however, and it only made his smile widen.

"I forgot how fun it was to play with you, tanuki! You always were my favourite human." He didn't seem to care that she didn't consider herself a plaything he could amuse himself with. But why would he? He loved her, just like he loved every human (with the exception of a certain blonde strongman), and wasn't that enough?

"I suppose I should thank you for that." To deny her status as a toy would only serve to amuse him farther, and nothing was scarier than a happy Izaya.

"So, your payment." Scratch that; Izaya in business mode was ten times more terrifying. At least when he was happy, he tended to let things slide, but not now; he was watching her like a hawk.

"Why should I accept your terms? What if I don't care if he finds out I'm back?" Another pathetic bluff.

"If you didn't, you would have left a long time ago, tanuki, and you would've complained about that tea." A predator's grin tugged at his lips as he spun deftly in place.

She slowly licked her lips, trying to think of something, _anything, _that would get her out of this office alive and not in debt with the notorious information broker.

"I love watching you humans think! It's so endearing!" He had stopped fiddling with his modified chess set, and he was now a few feet away from her, leaning against the huge Plexiglas window that peered into the heart of Shinjuku.

A foul taste invaded her mouth, and it had nothing to do with the tea. She was trapped, and there was nothing she could feasibly do to escape this situation.

"Fine. Name your price."

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><p>Aww yee!<p>

It's an update, bby! It's a short one, but it's better than nothing, right? :D

Sorry it took so long, guys, but I've been unsure as to where I want to go with this story, and I'm still kind of iffy as to the exact details, but I've definitely got the ball rolling.

I hate to leave you guys with a cliffy of sorts, but I need to work out exactly what I want to happen next.

Leave any thoughts, ideas or hypothesis' in the comments!

~Peace, love and cheeseburgers.


	3. Romantic Comedies

I still don't own DRRR, but if anyone would be willing to give it to me as a Christmas gift, I'd love you forever. w

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><p>It was almost like, for a minute, she was there beside him. For a moment, he could feel her presence and almost smell the hazelnuts she adored to the point of obsession.<p>

But just as quickly, the feeling was gone, and he was left alone again in his memories.

He missed her; that much was obvious to anyone who cared to look close enough. Tom was worried, and so was Celty and Shinra; they'd made that much clear with their constant and random appearances to "see how he was and if he wanted to go out for a few drinks".

"Well, well, well! Aren't you looking downtrodden today, Shizu-chan?" A cheerful voice cut through the humid Ikebukuro air. It was the information broker, Izaya. But instead of reacting the way he usually did, Shizuo shocked the man by merely walking away, his jaw tightened and his eyes focused on a point that seemed to be somewhere between here and there.

Izaya was Izaya, however, and he couldn't just let that slide; he was _the _information broker, after all, and scoops didn't get much better than this! Shizuo Heiwajima, a man as well known for his strength as his short temper, walking away from a confrontation? What on earth had this world come to?

_Unless the dumb brute has figured out _she's _back. _His maroon eyes glinted maliciously and his mouth curved into his usual smirk. _Let's see how far I can push him without breaking my deal with Tanuki._

"You look miserable, Shizu-chan!" Shizuo's back continued to get further and further away.

"Do you miss her, Shizu-chan?" There was still no reaction.

_Hmm... _His brain was working fast now, trying to find something to say to make Shizuo _react. _

"I heard she's engaged!" A lie, yes, but it worked and Shizuo's large hand was holding him up by his sweater collar.

"What?" Spittle flew from Shizuo's clenched teeth as he shook the bane of his existence.

"Uwaa~. I shouldn't have said that!" Izaya couldn't help but smirk at the rage on the blonde's face. "It could just be a rumour, Shizu-chan!"

Shizuo didn't seem to understand that he'd merely been playing with him; he never really did.

And now Izaya was flying through the streets, his coat flapping like broken wings behind him before he smashed forcefully into the building across the avenue, with Shizuo storming in the wrong direction; _away from him._

_Things are getting even more and more interesting. _He mused to himself, picking himself up from the rubble. He went to brush the dust off his coat, but his finger caught in a tear in the shoulder. His eyes widened in horror as he turned his head and surveyed the extent of the damage. There was a large gash about two inches under the seam, and another one near his right pocket. _The tanuki owes me for this, _he thought bitterly, mourning his precious coat as he walked back his office, not sparing a glance for the two otaku who had overheard the entire thing.

_**oooo**_

"Dotachin, Dotachin!" Erika's loud voice cut through the soothing quiet in the parking lot.

The man in question merely grunted in acknowledgement; he'd long since accepted the nickname; he didn't particularly like it, but by now it had become so engrained it was too much of an uphill battle to fight it. Besides; he'd grown to like the stupid little nickname that broker had given him. He'd never admit it out loud though.

"What do you want?" The bandana stayed firmly over his eyes and his feet planted on the dashboard of his van.

"Tai's engaged!" It was Walker who screamed this, his narrow eyes open wide for a change.

Kadota sprang from his seat, bashing his head against the roof with a curse as he tried to get a closer look at the two otakus.

"What? That's impossible!" It had to be.

"Apparently not! Izaya said it himself!" Erika chirped her voice overly cheerful.

"No." It came out as a hopeless and hoarse whisper. "No."

"Mhmm! Shizuo looked really angry about it!"

"Yeah! It's like a romantic comedy! Shizuo's going to have to fight this other man for Tai!" Walker exclaimed, his usual geeky grin back on his face.

"Totally!" Erika too had become distracted by the premise of this 'romantic comedy' and had started to argue with her counterpart about the outcome of this 'battle royale'.

Kadota, however, had been reduced to a shaking mess; if this was really true, then who knew what would happen to Shizuo? She'd been the only one capable of calming him down, and now she might be gone...

_Get a grip, man. You need to try and fix this, somehow. _And try he would.

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><p>AN: Delayed update is delayed.

Sorry about that guys. D:

BUT!

At least it's here! :3

I know Kadota might seem slightly OOC, but meh; this isn't really all that canon.

I really hope you guys enjoy it, and that you leave me some feedback in the comments!

It'd be very greatly appreciated.


	4. Discoveries

Anything you recognize probably isn't mine.

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><p>"Where is he?" Her voice was a dark hiss as it caressed the ears of the man who kneeled before her. His cheap suit was torn, and his left eye was swelling terribly. She, however, was the picture of self-restraint and elegance. Where his hair was clumped and matted, hers was perfectly coiffed, held together with hairspray instead of blood and dirt.<p>

He let out a hiccup of panic as her lips curled into a snarl, trying to find any point to focus on that wasn't _her_. "I don't know what you're talking about, lady!"

_Crack._

"Liar." Painted lips spat out the words like they were a curse, drawing a reaction as violent as the blow that had preceded it.

"I swear to God, lady! I don't know nothin'! He never came back!" He shook his head frantically, trying to ignore the stained cement walls behind him, and the broken shards of glass scattered on the floor, all of which fanned out from the designer shoes that stood daintily before him.

"_**B**_**_â_**_**tard.**_If I find out you know more than you're telling me, there will be _consequences._" Her eyes told him these words were no threat to be taken lightly. They both knew that she'd follow through without the merest hint of hesitation._"_Do you understand?" He nodded quickly, hoping that his reprieve would come soon. "I dislike liars. Now get out of my sight; you disgust me."

He didn't have to be told twice. He bolted as quickly out of the room as he could without offending the small woman, who had closed her eyes the moment he closed the door behind him.

'_Where _are _you?'_

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><p>"<em>I don't understand it either. Why would she come back and not tell us?"<em>The screen of the PDA flashed it`s message before it was deleted and replaced with another. "_There must be some kind of reason... She's never kept this kind of thing from us before. And more importantly, from Shizuo."_

"Yes. That's why I'm so worried. Even before they got together, she'd tell him almost everything. It makes no sense. I'm pulling in some favours to see what's happening, but I don't know how much they'll be able to find. She's never easy to find if she's making it a point to hide." Kadota mused, absently scratching his chin with his left hand.

"We'll just have to see how it plays out, I guess... Although it might be worth it to ask-"

"No." Kadota's eyebrows snapped together as he forced the words out, desperate to avoid the trouble that would inevitably arise if Shinra went through with his suggestion. "It won't be. Don't bother. We'll figure it out ourselves."

"Are you sure?"

"_He's right. It's too much of a risk." _Celty's thumbs danced a quick jig on the screen as they replaced the previous message. "_Let's make sure we know what's happening before we jump to any conclusions." _

"I wish she would've told us she was back. We could've at least thrown a party!" Shinra rambled, his hands flying through the air as they told what would be one of many tall tales and embellished promises.

Kadota turned away, his eyes screening the crowd that flowed behind the window, hoping to make out the figure of the girl he'd once found solace in. While they had never been lovers, and never would, they had shared a bond Shizuo could never hope to match, no matter how much the strongman tried. Theirs was a friendship that had been forged in the bitter fires of loss and heartache, and it was not one that could be dulled or broken with any number of days or kilometers.

Over time, Kadota's feelings had faded into something more like a distant yearning, but her return to the city had rekindled the flame he'd held for a girl he could never have. He knew it was his duty to return her to Shizuo, if only out of respect for the feelings she'd directed towards a man that wasn't him.

A dull buzz interrupted his trip down memory lane, and he turned his attention towards the slim black cellular he'd balanced precariously on his knee.

The three words displayed casually on the glowing screen were enough to set his mind on end, and to send him flying from his chair. He nearly knocked over Shinra in his haste, with Celty scrambling to find her helmet in a similarly disoriented state.

'_We found her.'_

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><p>Sorry about the delay, guys.<p>

Things have been hellish lately, and not to make excuses, but my mind hasn't really been focused on this story, or anything that isn't directly related to me IRL.

I'll try to upload more often now that I have a concrete idea as to where this is going, but I can't make any promises.

Tell me what you thought?


	5. Confrontation

Anything you recognize probably doesn't belong to me. All I own is the plot and Tai, and even then, it's iffy at times.

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><p>She knew she was being followed the moment she heard the bell above the door ring. In any other store, this would be no cause for alarm, but in this one, where everyone who knew anything used the back door, the sound of a bell could only be a sign for one of four things, each progressively more worrisome. Tourists came in every once in a while, curious to see 'the real face of Ikebukuro!', and were known to cause trouble when they were disappointed with the lack of hospitality, often demanding loudly to see a manager in their broken Japanese. They were few and far between, however, and generally left within a few minutes of catching the sight of the shady locals. Cops occasionally made their rounds here too, but Itou, the owner, made sure to keep his establishment clean, and was rumoured to have made a kind of truce with the local police department. He kept his nose clean, and the cops didn't linger for long on his threshold. The clients also knew to be on their best behaviour if any of the fuzz dropped by, and confrontations or arrests were rare. The worst type of person to walk in through the front door was an idiot. The ones who asked too many questions and lingered too long in places they weren't welcome. They were the ones who caused the most trouble. While it was possible to have an idiot tourist, an idiot cop or a tourist cop, the simple idiots tended to create the greatest waves. That being said, there was nothing worse than the men and women who disregarded the unspoken law of the establishment. Here, the underbelly of Ikebukuro came to relax, and to find the tools of their trade without fear of confrontation, persecution or surveillance. Gang members set aside their allegiances when they walked through the threshold, and shifty members of society kept to themselves. Itou's shop was a safe haven, and those who ignored its unofficial status as neutral ground often found themselves six feet under it, or in back alleys and abandoned warehouses. The scale of punishment was a sliding one, and one enforced by the customers themselves, not by Itou.<p>

The person who walked in was nothing more than a boy. With cropped hair and clothing intentionally devoid of any colour-gang related symbols, it was easy enough to see he wasn't a tourist. He knew enough not to look too long at any of the locals, something the tourists who came around never seemed to understand until it was too late. He wasn't a cop, either, or a protégé of the force. He didn't have the trained posture of a black belt or the confidence to hide behind the .38 revolvers the force favoured. He was smart enough to keep his head down, and he knew to disappear into one of the aisles before he took out…

His camera phone. He snapped a quick shot of her, before sending it to whomever it was that he reported to.

_Damn it_.

She felt bad for the kid. Truly, she did. Whoever put him up to this was either a sadistic bastard, or was unaware of the death warrant that had just been signed. She shot a look at Itou, pity for the boy evident in her eyes. He merely shrugged, knowing that it was now out of his hands. There was nothing either of them could do now, except warn the police to keep an eye out for a boy of his general description, and pray that nothing too horrid happened to him.

The boy shot a nervous glance out the dusty front window, fingers tapping a staccato beat on his thigh.

_Who the hell could have sent him?_

She'd made sure to keep her return quiet, only contacting those who she deemed completely necessary. While it was perfectly likely that Izaya might have sent this poor boy into the wolves den, she doubted it. He wasn't usually _that_ sadistic… Was he?

The motorcycle that roared to a stop in front of the store answered her question. She couldn't help the curse that escaped her as she recognised the driver.

_Damn it all to hell. _

She waved at Itou before walking out the front door, eager to protect the Dullahan from the quiet rage of the other clients. She couldn't do anything for the boy, but she could at least help keep her friend safe. The man who got off the back of the bike made her freeze in place, though.

It was Kadota, his eyes hard and his fists clenched. He was understandably angry, and despite the apprehension and regret that had stilled her body, she couldn't ignore the familiar rush of butterfly wings in her stomach and the smile that tugged at her lips. Here was the man who had been by her side through thick and thin, who had always been able to cheer her up, who had always been a steady force in her life.

"Kyohei…" His name came out in a whisper, her voice strangely hoarse. She'd missed him so much more than she'd realized. She was so wrapped up in the rediscovery of her feelings that she didn't seem to notice the way his expression faltered, nor the way the Dullahan had come to stand protectively behind her old friend, a hand placed comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Tai." Their friendship had long since passed the stage of honorifics, although the look in his eyes was anything but friendly. "You're back."

She swallowed the nervous laugh that threatened to break free. "Sure looks that way, doesn't it?"

"You didn't tell me. Couldn't be bothered, right? What did I expect, considering how you left?" He could barely stand to look at her. Here was the woman he'd loved; the woman who'd left without a word or fair warning; the woman who didn't care enough to leave a note.

"Let me explain!" She wanted him to understand; _needed_ him to understand.

"Why? So you can just run off again? You fucking left me, Tai. You left, and you didn't even leave a note. You just took off and you didn't say a word." Kyohei felt the hand on his shoulder tighten, although he wasn't sure if it was a meant to comfort him, or to serve as a warning.

Tai made to reply, but he cut her off quickly, too eager to unload the anger he'd kept hidden for so many years. "Not only that, but you came _**back.**_" His voice cracked on the last word, but he kept on talking. "You came back, and you didn't even _think_ to tell me. You kept me in the dark again.

"Why?" The question came out as a strangled whisper. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you leave?"

Tai began to explain, but stopped when Celty's hand came up, PDA glowing. Tai squinted to see what the Dullahan had written.

**You two are drawing a crowd. Why don't we go talk somewhere more private?**

Tai nodded reluctantly, while Kadota merely looked away.

**We can go to Russia Sushi. **

Kadota didn't even look at Tai as he walked away. She made to follow him, but she was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder, and another message scrawled quickly on Celty's PDA.

**He deserves the truth. **

"I know. I'm just not sure I'm ready to tell it."

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><p>Sorry for the delay in updating this, guys. I've been super lazy. I've had the chapter written out for a year, but I just never got around to typing it out. If there are any typos or grammatical errors, let me know.<p>

I'll try and update more often, but no promises.

And if anyone cares; the woman in the beginning of the last chapter is not Tai. I'll elaborate more later, and it's not _entirely_ relevant at this point, but if anyone wants to speculate, go for it.

Lemme know what you thought of the chapter~!


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